Beam-compasses



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LESTER E. HICKOK, OF BIRMINGHAM, CONNECTICUT.

BEAM-COMPASSES.

SEECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,031, datedOctoberlfi, 1885.

Application filed April 13, 1885. Serial No. 162,087. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LESTER E. HIOKOK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Birmingham, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDrafting- Tools, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of drawing-instruments in which thepoints or tools are carried by a horizontal staff; and my inventionconsists in providing a staff with adjustable heads having peculiarclamping appliances, and adapted for the ready attachment of any of theordinary tools of different sizes, and in the combination with the saidstaff, of an extension-bar adapted to carry either of said heads andmeans for securing said extension-bars in any position to which they maybe adjusted.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view illustrating my improved di'awinginstrulneiit. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the line l 2, Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a detached view of one of the drawing-heads and clamping'nuts,the lower portion of the head being in section. Fig. 4 is a viewillustrating a modification.

The staff A of the instrument may be solid or hollow, andeither round orangular. When and extension-staff is required, the portion A should behollow, to receive the extension or portion A. As shown, the staff is asquare metallic tube, and the extension portion A is of similar shape,and slides therein, and has a head or enlargement, a, of the same sizeexteriorally as the staff A.

To the staff are fitted, so as to slide freely, two heads, B B, each ofwhich is prolonged at the upper end to form a tapering threadedprojection, I), split vertically, as shown in Fig. 3, and adapted toreceive a nut with a corresponding tapering socket. From the lower endof each head extends an arm or lug, d, having a vertical-threadedsocket, to receive corresponding threaded projections 6, upon the usualsteel points D D, and also to receive the threaded projection of theset-screw f,- and in each lug d is a transverse opening, 00, adapted toreceive the stem 8, at the end of the joint of a drawing-pen, E, orother drawing-tool. By this construction I am enabled to use either thesteel point D or the drawingpen 6, and the latter may be secured inplace by the screw f. Either head B B, after being moved upon the staffto any desired position, may be securely clamped in place by turning thenut D so as to draw together the two sides of the projection 1), therebybinding the heads upon the staff. By turning the nut in the oppositedirection the head is then unclamped, and will slide freely upon thestaff.

The pointers are secured to the heads by inserting the projections e inthe threaded sockcts of the head; but when a drawing-tool other than thepointer is required, the said point may be detached, the stem 8 of thedrawingtool is inserted in the socket s, and is clamped in place bymeans of the thumbscrew f.

To secure the extension-rod A in any position to which it is adjusted,I'use a clampring, G, having a recess, within which slides a block, i,the under surface of which is fitted to that of the staff, and aset-screw, 70, turns in the projection of the said ring, and may bebrought upon the top of the block 1', so as to force it firmly down uponthe adjacent face of 7 5 the staff. In the end of the staff are one ormore longitudinal slits 1 so that when the screw it is turned to forcedown the block the diameter of the staff will be contracted and theextension portion will be clamped securely in place, but may be readilyreleased by removing the pressure upon the block 2'.

It will be obvious that a cam or other device may be used forcompressing the slit end of the staff.

WVhen it is desired to carry one of the heads over the extension portionA, the screw 7c is raised to loosen the ring, and the latter is slippedoff from the staff and its extension. The adjacent head is also thenslipped off. The ring G is then returned to its place, and the head isplaced upon and secured to the enlargement a, and may be then moved toand from the other head by shoving the extensionbar in or out until theheads are the desired distance apart.

Other means than those shown may be used for contracting the ring Gforinstance, it may be provided with upturned ends, through which extends ascrew serving to draw them together or separate them, to expand orcontract the ring, as shown in Fig. 4.

VWithout limiting myself to the precise arrangement'and construction ofparts shown, I claim 1. The combination, with the staff A, of

5 heads constructed to support either the points or drawing-instruments,and to slide upon the staff, and provided with split tapering andthreaded projeetions, adapted to nuts having tapering threaded sockets,substantially as IO specified.

2. The head sliding upon the rod and provided with a threaded socket andwith a transverse socket or opening, whereby either the point or pen maybe secured thereto, sub- 15 stantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the staff provided LESTER E. HIOKOK.

Witnesses:

FRANK E. VVILooX, J. ToMLINsoN.

